Crutch.



UNITED STATES PATENT onmon.

LEONARD J. FINKLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 CHARLESL. LEONORI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CRUTOH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Application filed April 25, 1916. Serial No. 93,412.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD J. FINKLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, in the county of Bronx and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crutches, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to crutches, and with respect to its morespecific features to crutches which are adjustable in length and therebyadapted for use by persons of different sizes.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a practicaladjustable crutch of simple and inexpensive construction.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an efiicient crutchhaving a range of adjustment adapting it for persons of different sizes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a practicaladjustable crutch which shall be strong in construction and safe in use.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims. 7

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification andwherein similar v reference characters refer to similar parts throughoutthe several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating oneembodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail viewillustrating the connection between the leg and staff, the leg and staifbeing separated; Fig. 3 is alongitudinal vertical section through theclamp and showing the adjustable connection between the leg and thestaff; Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the connections of thehand grip with the stafi and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the clampor strap.

The crutch may be constructed of any suitable material, as wood or lightelastic metal,

and in the present disclosure the stafl is composed of ash or maple, andthe leg of hickory. The support or stafi is composed ofxa plurality orpair of branches 1 and 2 attached at their upper ends to a cross piece3, the latter being adapted to serve as an armpit rest. Disposedintermediate the ends ofthe staff, longitudinally thereof, is a handgrip 4 having gudgeons 5 adapted to be seated in pairs of oppositelydisposed recesses 6, a series of these recesses being provided inmetallic face plates 7 fastened on the inner face of each branch. Inthis wise the hand grip may be disposed at the proper distance from thearmpit rest to be readily taken hold of by the person using the crutch.

The branches 1 and 2 are movable toward and from each other,thismovement being provided for either by the flexibility of thematerial of which the branches are composed, or by providing pivot pins8 connecting the branches with the armpit rest 3, so as to permit thelower ends to have the movement referred to. Toward the lower ends, theinner face of each branch is provided with a series of teeth 9interengageable with made in the material of the branches, said,

material being provided with a series of stop shoulders 12 and incliningfaces 13, the inclined face 13 being joined to the stop shoulder 12 by aface 14, so that the shoulders 12 do not engage the inclines 13 in asharp edge, but suflicient material is provided therebetween to makeastrong tooth. This particular construction of tooth is especiallydesirable where the material of the branches is of wood or a similarsubstance.

When the branches are made of metal, or

should a metal facing be provided at the toothed portion, the inclinedfaces 13 may be permitted to directly intersect the shoulders 12. In theembodiment illustrated the branches normally converge toward the lowerend of the staff, and when the teeth thereof are in engagement with theleg, it is preferred that a plurality of the teeth of the branches shallengage a plurality of the teeth of the leg, and thus provide a largearea of material in engagement to effectively withstand the consequentupward as well as any lateral rotative strain when the crutch is in use.To effect this, the longitudinal faces of the branches on which theteeth are disposed are practically parallel to each other when the legis clamped thereto. The end of each branch 1 and 2 provides a shoulderagainst which the shoulders of the teeth of the leg may bear. The leg 11is provided on its opposite outer faces with a longitudinally disposedseries of teeth similar to those of the branches, but oppositelydisposed relative thereto, and when the branches are in their innerposition, the teeth thereof will engage with the teeth of the leg tohold the latter in adjusted position. The leg terminates in a foot 14:which may be shod with rubber or otherwise surfaced as exigency mayrequire.

In order to secure the leg in adjusted position on the staff, a clamp isemployed to hold the teeth of the stalf in engagement with the teeth ofthe branches. In the present embodiment, the clamp is composed of arigid strap 15, preferably of brass, adapted to closely surround thebranches and leg, th opening in the strap being of a size to pass overthe foot of the leg, thence into position around the branches and theleg disposed therebetween. This clamp may be moved or slid over thelower adjacent ends of the branches into and out of its positionclamping the leg and branches, and it has opposite bearing faces 16,against which the outer faces of the leg may bear so as to brace "theleg against movement transversely of the direction of movement of thebranches.

In order to hold the clamp in a position retaining the leg and staff inadjustable position, latches are employed. Each branch of the staff isprovided with one of the latches, and the same are conveniently providedby a light, flat metallic spring 17, of steel, secured in recesses 18 inthe outer faces of the branches, and terminating in outwardly extendingstop shoulders 19 against which the lower edge of the strap 15 may liewhen in clamping position. The spring members 17 lie underneath thestrap 15, and finger pieces 20 on the latches are provided for movingsaid latches so as to disengage the shoulders 19 from the edge of thestrap to permit the latter to be drawn from clamping position, and overthe leg. The grooves or recesses 18 in which the springs 17 are securedare deepened toward the lower end of the branches, as at 21, so as toprovide for sufficient movement of the latches to permit the withdrawalof the strap. The outer faces 22 and 23 of the branches 1 and 2preferably converge slightly toward the lower ends so that the strap 15may take a firm frictional grip on these Surfaces when in clampingposition.

In setting the crutch for use, the leg is placed between the branches,and the teeth of these parts brought into engagement. The strap 15 isthen threaded over the foot of the leg and over the latches, theselatter being movable inwardly to permit its passage. Eventually thelatches spring out and lie beneath the lower edge of the strap. .Theparts being separable, their manipulation for adjustment is easy, andbroken parts may readily be replaced. Thus by the above describedconstruction are accomplished, among others, the objects hereinbeforereferred to.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely difierent embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the followingclaims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features ofthe invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of theinvention which, as a matter of language, might be said to falltherebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A crutch comprising, in combination, a stafi and a leg, the legadjustable longitudinally of said stafi, said stafi comprising a pair ofbranches movable toward and from each other opposite said leg, theopposite sides of said leg and each of said branches each having alongitudinal series of transversely extending teeth, a plurality of theteeth of each side of the leg being engageable with the teeth of therespective branches when the branches are in their inner position, and aclamping strap adapted to surround said branches and leg at the ends ofsaid branches, said strap having opposite inner bearing faces adapted tobrace said leg against movement transversely of the direction of therelative movement between said branches, and adapted to slide on and offthe branches over the adjacent ends thereof.

2. A crutch comprising, in combination, a staff and a leg, the legadjustable longitudinally of said staff, said staff comprising a pair ofbranches movable toward and from each other opposite said leg, theopposite sides of said leg and each of said branches each having alongitudinal series of transversely extending teeth, a plurality of theteeth of each side of the leg being engageable with a plurality of theteeth of the respective branches whenthe branches are in their innerposition, a clamping strap adapted to surround said branches and leg atthe ends of said branches, said strap having opposite inner bearingfaces adapted to brace said leg against movement transversely of thedirection of the relative movement between said branches, and springlatches secured to said branches and adapted to extend beneath saidstrap having shoulders against which the lower edges of said strap areadapted to bear to restrain longitudinal outward movement of said strap.

3. A crutch comprising, in combination, a staff including a pair ofbranches movable toward and from each other, a leg adjustablelongitudinally of said staii between said branches, means adapted tohold said leg in an adjusted position relative to said staif comprisinga strap slidable longitudinally of said stafl into and out of holdingposition, and yieldable stops carried by said stafi adapted to restrainmovement of said strap off said staff when said strap is in holdingposition.

4. A crutch comprising in combination, a staff including a pair ofgrooved branches movable toward and from each other, a leg adjustablelongitudinally of said stafi between said branches, means adapted tohold said leg in an adjusted position relative to said staff comprisinga strap slidable longitudinally of said stafl into and out of holdingposition opposite said grooves, springs carried by said branchesopposite said grooves, and stops on said springs adapted to restrainmovement of said strap off said staff when said strap is in holdingposition.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

LEONARD J. FINKLE. Witnesses H. M. SEAMANS, M. A. MEYER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0.

